Our full day in Dubai turned out to be all about public transit. We were a little slow getting out but finally made our way the almost-mile to the train, and found that the machine didn't take my credit cards and there wasn't an attendant. So ... we walked back along the marina waterfront until we found the ATM that we'd been directed to (at that point almost back to our hotel), withdrew some cash and headed back to the train station. Then we found that the machine wouldn't take bills of the denomination that the ATM supplied (too big) and headed back to the waterfront, not quite as far this time, bought a bottle of water and received change. We're good to go ! Back to the train station, purchased our tickets and did the card swipe onto to find that this was the wrong train. We did the walk to the connecting train, tried to check-in at the machine and it wouldn't work. We found someone to ask a question and it turned out that we'd checked in to the other train but hadn't checked out... back to that connection, check out, back to the correct train, checked in and headed to Dubai.
It was a long ride into town but interesting. We found the old town, wandered aimlessly through markets, actually got rained on a little, had something to eat and headed back but not before we had to top up our train cards again, because of course we'd spent some of the balance checking in and out of the wrong train.
The wind was howling; so strong that it made you laugh. What it didn't do is encourage us to go back out for dinner. All that outside seating would have been wasted anyway. We went to the 52nd floor, had a great dinner with wine and called it a night.
The next day started early with a 5:25 car pickup heading to the airport. We had breakfast there, idled away a couple of hours and boarded the flight to Bangkok. 6 or so hours later and we were out of that airport, with some Thai money in hand, and in our ride to the hotel. Checked in and ready for some food, we went to the hotel restaurant and had our first of many many Thai dinners. Sandy is going to have to get used to spicy - unavoidable here ! Not spicy is still spicy for her.
Today we wandered and wandered, an amazing place indeed. Packed with people, teeming with people, every available square foot/meter/whatever taken up with street vendors; crowded more than Cairo, chaotic only in the population density. We cabbed to the train station so that Sandy could purchase her ticket to Chiang Mai; she's all set; me not so much. Somehow I have to get to Pak Chong on the same day that she leaves.
Onward !
No comments:
Post a Comment